30 Days
by the little harlequin
Summary: AU/AH. Caroline Forbes can't wait to marry Tyler Lockwood. That's until, at a party in Vegas, she finds herself walking down the aisle sooner than expected. Now, she must face life married to her ex-boyfriend, Klaus - and just as the States introduce a new marriage law, saying how all newly wedded couples must stay together for at least 30 days before filing for divorce. ...Oops?


_So, this idea has been going around in my head for awhile now and I thought it was finally time to write it down and see what you guys thought. It's very different to my other Klaroline fic ("Maybe Baby"), in that - while it is still firmly AU - Klaus and Caroline are a lot older in this one and have more of an established backstory to work on, so that should be fun! ;)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries._

* * *

"OK," Caroline Forbes announced in a loud voice, clapping her hands together once to command the attention of her friends. They all stopped their conversations, falling silent to look up at her, "So our flight leaves at 1300 hours, which means we _should_ arrive in Las Vegas at approximately 2:45PM - factoring in their time difference, of course - so I think-"

"What if we're delayed?" her best friend, Elena Gilbert, piped up from where she sat on the couch, in the Mikaelsons' living room, squeezed in between her twin sister, Katherine, and their other best friend, Bonnie Bennett.

"Shouldn't happen," Caroline asserted confidently, turning over a page in her day planner which she had cradled in the crook of her arm, "The forecast has given nothing but sunny skies all day and, even if there is something like - I don't know - the plane needs refuelling, that should only take one - _maybe_ two - hours, at most. Either way, it will still leave us plenty of time to celebrate Bekah's fleeting bachelorettehood," she finished, sparing the final girl in attendance a mischievous grin.

"Hear, hear," Katherine crowed in agreement, punching her fist in the air, "Let's get drunk!"

Bonnie flashed the elder Gilbert twin a grin, before she returned her attention to Caroline. "What time did Tyler say he and Matt would be here with the cars?" she asked, referring to Caroline's fiancé and his best friend, Matt Donovan, who'd - very graciously - agreed to take them to the airport that morning in time to catch their flight.

Caroline checked her watch, reading five to eleven, "He should be here in another couple of minutes," she nodded, "leaving us with ample time to make it to the airport and check in, without having to worry about any traffic."

"See, I knew I made the right choice when I asked you to be my Maid of Honor," Rebekah remarked laughingly, though - if they were being honest - there was really no choice to make. Rebekah Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes had been best friends ever since kindergarten and had, long ago, pledged to be the chief bridesmaid at each other's weddings.

"Well. How did I know I'd find you at the helm of this ship?" a confident voice interjected, words wrapped up in a smooth British accent, and all of five of them looked up to see Rebekah's older brother, Klaus, leaning casually against the door frame into the room. He raised his eyebrows meaningfully at Caroline before he strode into the room, making his way to his father's liquor cabinet.

Caroline bristled, tossing back her long, blonde hair over one shoulder before she replied, coolly and evenly, "Arranging the bachelorette party is kind of my duty. You know, as Maid of Honor."

Klaus gave her no reply, instead choosing to smirk silently at her as he poured himself a generous glass of bourbon from a crystal decanter. _Ugh_, Caroline rolled her eyes at him contemptuously as he took a sip, _didn't he know it was only eleven o'clock in the morning?_ He looked up, meeting her disapproving gaze for a split second - in which he took another, taunting, sip - before his eyes took in the room as a whole.

"All excited for your party, girls?" he grinned and Caroline's eyes flashed at Elena, Bonnie and Katherine, willing them not to respond, to not even register his presence, "Where is it you're going again? Las Vegas, isn't it?"

Rebekah nodded, enthused, "That's right. Caroline's done brilliantly, getting everything sorted," she flashed her best friend a grin before she looked up at her brother again, eyes narrowed into an inquisitive look, "Where is it you're taking Stefan, Nik?" she asked.

"Ah, now," Klaus replied, with mock reproach, "That would be telling, wouldn't it? At any rate, I think he will be quite pleased with what I've got planned for him." Caroline watched as Rebekah's mouth opened to protest - only for Klaus to raise a silencing hand at her, "Not to worry, little sister, I'll have your groom back all in one piece. _And_ I did well to stick to your requirements - no strippers have been hired by us, or for us, this night, much to Kol's extreme disappointment."

"Good," Rebekah beamed, leaning back in her chair, evidently satisfied.

There was the honk of a car horn from outside and Caroline started, snapping her day planner shut hastily, "That must be Tyler," she announced, grabbing her pink overnight bag with all her necessities in it.

Her friends followed suit, grabbing their bags and making their way outside to where Matt and Tyler were waiting for them, the June sun beating down heavily. Caroline was the last of them to leave the room, groaning when - before she could - Klaus caught her arm gently, but firmly. She turned, reluctantly, to face him, her eyebrows raised in disdain.

"What?" was all she asked, her tone deliberately snappish.

"Tyler's here?" Klaus remarked, to which Caroline couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Yes, him and Matt are taking us to the airport," she replied, willing as much ice into her tone as she possibly could, "You don't have to come out and talk to him, you know. You can just slink away off and do... _whatever_ it is you do these days. In fact, I suggest you just go do that right now."

"And miss out on toying with your fiancé? Perish the thought, sweetheart," he grinned, dark mirth twinkling in his blue eyes as he knocked back the rest of his drink.

"Grow up, Klaus," was all she said, as she shook his hand off her arm and made her way outside to meet her friends.

She saw Tyler, helping Bonnie load her suitcase into the trunk of his car, and she spared him a happy wave of greeting when he caught her eye. His hand raised, halfway, to return the gesture when, suddenly, his whole body froze and his eyes narrowed into a look of intense loathing. For a split-second, she was taken aback by his rapid shift in emotions until, in her peripheral vision, she saw the reason why. Having apparently _not_ heeded her advice, Klaus had emerged from the house alongside her, standing on the doorstep next to her with one hand raised to his eyes, shielding them from the sun's glare.

"Oh, for God's sake!" Caroline grumbled under her breath.

Klaus merely smirked back at her, before he took her suitcase from her and proclaimed, all too loudly, "Here, let me help with you that, love."

Tyler's eyes widened and, in an instant, he had jogged over to the two of them and was holding his hands out to take the case from Klaus, "I can get that."

"Are you sure, mate? It's quite heavy," Klaus remarked, weighing the feel of the bag in his hand, while Caroline gritted her teeth at him, her eyes flashing angrily, "But then, Caroline never was a light packer, were you, love? Do you remember that time we went up to New York for your birthday? It was only for two nights and you still ended up bringing everything but the kitchen sink."

Tyler's eyes flickered to Caroline for a brief moment before they returned to Klaus, resolute, "I'm sure I can handle it."

"All right, mate," Klaus replied, passing it over to him without another word - although he did exhale an amused chuckle when Tyler let out a little _whuff!_ of exertion, as he felt the weight of Caroline's luggage, and began dragging it to the car.

Caroline waited until Tyler was a step or two out of earshot, before she rounded on Klaus, "Why do you always have to prove that you're the alpha male?" she demanded, her voice a furious hiss and her eyes ablaze with anger.

Klaus, however, remained unfazed. "I don't have to prove anything, love," he shrugged, nonchalantly, "I am the alpha male."

"Whatever," she scoffed, unimpressed.

Snapping on her sunglasses, Caroline followed Tyler as he brought her suitcase around to the trunk of his car. "I don't like you hanging out with him, Care," her fiancé griped, shifting her case so it fit in snugly next to Elena's.

"Tyler, it wasn't- we weren't _hanging out_. I was going through what was happening today, with the girls, and he just walked into the room - that's it," Caroline argued, though in a relatively hushed tone so that the words were privy to her and Tyler, only. It wouldn't do to let Klaus know that he was a common argument between the two of them, "I mean, how many times do I have to say it to you? It's _over_ between me and him. Done, finished forever."

"I _know_, Caroline, but you've known him almost your entire life, you _dated_ him for three years," Tyler exhaled a deep sigh, "Hell, you were almost _engaged_ to the guy-"

"Yes. _Almost_. But I said no, remember?" Caroline replied, winding her arms around his neck, "I did, however, say yes to you and, in two months, _you_ are going to be my husband and I am going to be _your_ wife, OK? So, just, calm down. You're who I want to be with. You're the one, Tyler."

He smiled, evidently reassured by this, as he rested his forehead against hers, "I love you, Caroline."

Caroline grinned back at him, pressing a fleeting kiss to his lips, "I love you, too, Tyler. Now, come on," she slapped his chest playfully, "We have T-minus thirty minutes to make it to the airport if we're to remain on schedule. Let's go, people!"

They broke apart and got into Tyler's car, with Bonnie and Elena already squeezed into the back and sharing the earphones to Bonnie's iPod. In Matt's car, Caroline caught Rebekah's gaze in the front seat and spared her a wave, mouthing a quick 'see you soon,' which the other blonde returned, with a smile, before twisting around in her seat to say something to Katherine.

Caroline buckled her seatbelt while Tyler fired up the ignition, an outdated rock anthem blaring from the radio as he craned his head around to look out the rear view window. As they backed out of the Mikaelsons' drive, Caroline caught sight of Klaus, still standing just outside the front door. He spared her a smirk, before he raised his hand in a wave.

She, pointedly, did not return it.

* * *

"This is _amazing_!" Katherine gasped as she hurtled into their penthouse suite at the Vegas hotel (a gift from Rebekah's parents) and threw herself onto one of the five king-sized beds. She closed her eyes, her long brown hair fanned out around her head in a darkened halo as she stroked the comforter with her hands, "Oh, yes. I could definitely see myself having sex on these sheets."

"Look at this view!" Elena squealed as she ran over to the window that occupied one wall by itself; below them, the streets buzzed with life and the lights of the casinos and clubs glowed dimly in the sunlight.

"Look at the size of this bathtub!" Katherine shrieked, having evidently tired of the bed. Caroline and Rebekah followed the sound of their friend's voice to find her sitting, cross-legged, in the tub of one of the penthouse's three lavish bathrooms, "Oh, yeah, I could definitely see myself having sex here, too," the dark-haired girl remarked, nodding sagely.

"I can't believe we're actually here," Rebekah remarked, glancing around them in awe, her gaze landing on Caroline, "This is more than I could ever ask for, thank you," she added, embracing her friend tightly.

"Hey," the other blonde giggled into her shoulder, before they broke apart, "What are best friends for?"

"So," Bonnie nudged Caroline gently, "What all do you have planned for us now we're here?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked that, Miss Bennett," Caroline grinned, removing her day planner from her purse and thumbing through it, "because I was _thinking_ that we get ourselves freshened up, then we hit the town for some dinner and some drinks. I looked online and there's this _great_ little place we can go to."

"Sounds good to me," Elena nodded, to a murmur of agreement.

"Great!" Katherine grinned, scrambling out of the bathtub and making for the suite's telephone.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you really think I'm waiting until we," she made air quotes with her fingers, "'hit the town' before I start drinking? _Please_. I'm making an urgent call to room service for some margaritas. You guys in?"

* * *

A few hours later, their party of five descended into the lobby of the hotel, dressed to kill, the cocktails they'd ordered from room service buzzing pleasantly through their systems. Caroline straightened the spaghetti strap of her red, knee-length dress, intent on having as much fun as was humanely possible that night. This was to be a girls' night, a night of drinking and dancing with some of the people she loved most, one last hurrah before she waved her best friend off into the sunset of wedded bliss. Tonight, she wouldn't have to worry about Tyler or _Klaus_ -

"So, where do you fancy on going first, mate?" an all too familiar voice said and Caroline froze, her muscles tensing up.

No- _No. _It _couldn't_ be. Not here and, most certainly, not now. And yet -

("Stefan?" Rebekah gasped, her eyes wide and the beginnings of a smile creeping across her features.)

It was.

"Rebekah?" Stefan Salvatore exclaimed, sounding just as surprised as his fiancée.

Shaking his head in astonishment, he clapped the shoulder of the dark-haired man beside him ("Damon!" Elena squealed, running forward to embrace her boyfriend.) before he abandoned his party in favour of theirs, catching Rebekah's hands and pulling her into a kiss. Caroline felt her mouth run dry as she glanced over at the group of guys - Stefan's older brother, Damon, as well as Elijah and Kol, the eldest and youngest Mikaelson sons - before her gaze fell finally on -

"_Klaus_," she seethed, her nostrils flaring angrily.

"I can't believe you're here," Rebekah said, a little breathlessly, as she and Stefan broke apart.

"It was your brother's idea," he explained, jerking a thumb over his shoulder, "I had no idea you guys were going to be here, too."

"Oh, I think someone did," Caroline remarked, bitterly through her teeth, as her least favourite Mikaelson approached their little party, "Hi, Klaus."

"Hello, Caroline," he greeted her with his trademark smirk, the one that made her blood boil, "Fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, that's what I'm still trying to figure out," she began, forcing her tone to remain neutral, though it was proving difficult, "_How_ are you even here, exactly?"

"Oh, we took the flight at 1400 hours," he returned easily, obviously mocking her.

"Was this all your doing, Nik?" Rebekah asked him, beaming, and thus eliminating any chance Caroline had at shooting back a witty retort.

"Of course, little sister," he replied and Caroline's hand twitched, itching to punch that stupid smug look off his stupid smug face, "Well, I knew if I took Stefan out anywhere he'd just spend the entire evening pining over you so, I thought, why not bring the two parties together?"

Stefan grinned at his friend, reaching out a hand to clap him on the shoulder, "Thanks, man. This is great, really," he said, sharing a smile with Rebekah.

"It was no problem, mate," Klaus remarked, "After all, what are best friends for?"

Caroline felt her anger flare - yep, she was definitely going to punch him.

"So," Stefan turned his attention to the girls, "I guess that means we're a party of ten now. We were just trying to figure out what to do first," he raised his eyebrows at them, "Do you guys have any plans?"

"Well, we, um- we were just about to head out to dinner. Do you guys want to join us?" Bonnie piped up and Caroline whipped around to face her, betrayal shining in her eyes. Bonnie just shrugged apologetically, knowing - just as well as Caroline did - that, if she hadn't have said anything, one of the other girls would have.

"Sounds great," Stefan agreed, sharing a nod with Klaus.

The younger Salvatore beckoned over Elijah, Kol, Damon and Elena to explain to them their plans for the evening. Caroline's gaze kept flitting from Rebekah (who was beaming happily at the prospect of having Stefan here with her) to Katherine (who was eyeing up the eldest Mikaelson, looking very much like she would gladly tear that suit from his body) to anywhere, really, so long as she wasn't looking at Klaus, whom she knew was grinning at her.

With their dinner plans agreed upon fairly quickly, they went outside to hail a couple of cabs to the restaurant, Caroline trailing along at the end of their party. Elena hung back beside her, grinning at Damon's back as he and Kol compared previous trips to Las Vegas, her cheeks a noticeable pinkish colour as she babbled on excitedly about _'what a nice surprise it was to have all the guys here, too.'_

"Yeah, just great," Caroline mumbled, with a roll of her eyes.

* * *

Dinner was an awkward affair. And, oh, how Caroline wished that was an understatement.

As they were led to a round table near the back of the restaurant, the only one big enough to sit a party of ten comfortably, their group immediately dissolved into their couples. Elena sat next to Damon and Stefan next to Rebekah; Katherine (who had long expressed an interest in, someday, bedding the eldest Mikaelson) purposefully squeezed herself in beside Elijah, her seductive smile in place, while Kol plopped down next to Bonnie, the current object of his, thus far, unrequited affections.

Which left Klaus and Caroline to occupy the last two remaining seats at the table, which - _of course!_ Caroline thought, suppressing a groan - just so happened to be next to one and other.

She gritted her teeth as she sat down, refusing to allow herself to relax as she perched, stiff-backed, on the edge of the chair. She consulted her menu quietly, running her eye down the selection of dishes from off the grill. Beside her, Damon and Elena had already started flirting playfully with each other, whispering and giggling behind their menus.

"You're looking lovely this evening, sweetheart," Klaus leaned in to whisper to her, his breath hot against the shell of her ear.

Caroline glanced up from her menu, to confirm that the rest of the table were still safely engaged in their own conversations, before she turned to face him, "I know I do. Now, could you please refrain from talking to me?" she narrowed her eyes at him, contemptuously, "I'm still mad at you."

"Whatever for?" he asked, lightly, although his smirk told her he knew _exactly _why she was so angry.

She shook her head, "Do you really expect me to believe that you just _'brought these two parties together'_," she said, ignoring the amused glint in his eye at her attempt to mimic his accent, "because Stefan would spend the night pining over Rebekah?" she snapped, her voice a low, venomous hiss, "You did this to ruin the party that I have been planning for months_ - _I know you did_ - _and I-"

"Are you guys ready to order?" a new voice cut in, and Caroline glanced up sharply to see their waitress gazing at them with uncertainty, her pen and paper held at the ready.

In response, Klaus flashed her a disarming grin, gesturing to his younger sister to start them off as they worked their way around the table. Caroline closed over her menu - deciding on the well done steak - as Elijah finished his order and the waitress shifted her attention to Klaus.

"I will have the steak, medium rare - thanks, sweetheart," he began, and whether it was instinctual - because they used to order for each other all the time when they were dating - or whether he was just being the world's biggest ass, he continued on relentlessly, gesturing to her, "And Caroline will have the same, except well done, and with the-"

"_Actually_," Caroline spoke up, glaring at him, a distinct, uncomfortable silence falling over the table as she opened her menu again, "I'll be having the... salmon," she corrected, pointing to the first thing she happened to see and, then, instantly regretting it.

"But you hate fish," Klaus countered, a tiny smirk twitching at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah, well, people change," she shot back, before confirming her order with the waitress, "Salmon, please."

Well. There was no going back now.

"And how are you enjoying your salmon, love?" he asked her, sometime later, after their dinners had been brought to them and she sat, pushing her fish around on its plate with her fork, her features set in an expression of ill-disguised disgust.

She looked up at him, plastering a grin onto her face, "Great!" she chirped, even going so far as to pick up the biggest forkful she could manage and popping it into her mouth. She forced her smile to remain in place, even as the thing _fucking crumbled_ in her mouth and slid slowly, torturously, down her throat, "See?"

"Well, my steak is _fantastic_," he remarked, flashing her a grin, before he turned away from her to say something to Elijah.

Caroline glowered at his back for a moment, swallowing thickly, before she went back to alternatively stabbing at and pushing her salmon around on its plate, her nose wrinkled in revulsion. Her stomach grumbled, desperate for some good - _real_ - food, and she dropped her fork to her plate in defeat, trying her best not to sneak glances at his steak - which did look _really_ good.

Ugh, why did he have to order for her?

"I hate you," she mumbled, out of the corner of her mouth, though still hoping he heard her just so he knew _exactly_ how she felt about him, "I hate you, I hate you,_ I hate you_."

By the amused chuckle he exhaled, midway through his reply to Elijah, she knew he had.

* * *

The club they went to after dinner was electric.

It was a favourite of Kol's, from his many, _many_ impromptu trips to the City of Sin over the years, and it showed. Almost everyone knew him, from the bouncers to the bartenders. The bartenders, in particular, looked positively gleeful at his arrival - greeting him with an enthused, "Mr Mikaelson!" - and especially so when he bought ten vodka shots, with the promise of more to come.

"Alright," he grinned as the shots were laid out on the bar in front of them, "Let's play a little game then, shall we?" he rubbed his hands together in anticipation, continuing on quickly before anyone had the chance to protest, "We all take this shot and then I buy ten more and then we keep going and keep going until there's only one man - or woman - left standing. Survival of the fittest at its finest," he added with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"I'm game," Katherine and Damon spoke up, in unison, grabbing their shots eagerly.

"Sure," Caroline smiled, accepting hers.

"That's my girl," Kol beamed at her, throwing her a wink before he glanced up at his brother, "Nik, why ever did you let this one go?"

"Are we doing this or not?" Katherine chimed in, holding up her shot impatiently.

"OK, then!" Kol smirked impishly, pleased to see his game had caught on, "Three, two, one, go!"

For everyone, the first shot went down with relative ease. By the time the second shot was swallowed, Bonnie shook her head and backed out. Elena gave up after the third and Elijah after the fourth. Stefan shrugged and waved a dismissive hand at Kol as he offered him a fifth shot, laughingly stating how someone needed to be sober enough to take Damon home. Rebekah backed out soon after, deciding that quality time with Stefan was more important than winning some drinking game, and the two of them slunk off together quietly.

Caroline knocked back her sixth shot easily, swallowing thickly as she slammed the tiny glass down onto the bar's counter. "Damn, Barbie can drink," Damon remarked, impressed, as Kol placed in another order for five more of the same.

The blonde just shrugged as the five remaining competitors held up their shots in a silent toast. She could feel Klaus' eyes on her and she maintained his gaze unwaveringly as she tipped the alcohol back into her mouth. Normally, during a drinking game like this, she would have left around the same time as Bonnie and Elena, but she had stuck with the competition this time, not only because the perfect night she'd been planning for weeks was gradually deteriorating before her eyes and the only solution she could find was to get rip-roaringly drunk, but because she wanted to see the look on Klaus' face when she bested him.

Only, as seemed to be normal for Caroline Forbes lately, it didn't pan out as such. It was as Kol was crying, "Tenth shot! Tenth shot!" that Caroline felt her stomach shift, its contents churning dangerously. She shook her head as Kol offered her one, backing away from the bar.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," she mumbled, pushing past Bonnie and Elena.

"Do you want us to go with you?" Elena asked her, her brown doe-eyes wide and worried.

Caroline shook her head, "I'll be fine. I'll see you in a minute."

When she entered the bathrooms, two other girls were already there, reapplying their lip gloss in the mirrors. They looked up at her as she entered, running an eye over the way she was dressed, the way she wore her hair, making all their judgements of her in that one glance, before they returned their attention to the mirror. Caroline shook her head, bursting into a stall and locking it behind her as the girls chattered loudly about how Angela better not fuck Tom that night.

She clutched her abdomen, her head rolling back to lean against the stall door. She focused on her breathing - in and out, in and out - gritting her teeth as she willed herself to overcome the nausea in her stomach. After a moment, it seemed to pass. She'd be fine, she'd be fine. Flushing the toilet, she left the stall and rinsed her hands off at the sink. The two girls were eyeing her warily, probably fearing she may vomit, but she did her best to ignore them as she straightened her dress's straps and reapplied her mascara.

Satisfied by how she looked, and how she felt, she walked back out into the club, immersing herself - once again - in the world of dry ice and pulsing music. Her eyes instantly searched for her friends, glancing over to the spot they had occupied by the bar. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw they were no longer there - evidently the game was over.

"Shit," Caroline grumbled as she edged her way through the crowd on the dance floor, hoping to find them there.

"Caroline!" a voice called to her and she twisted her head to see Katherine grab her hand and pull her from the throng, "Where did you go?" she demanded, flipping her long brown curls over one shoulder.

"Bathroom," Caroline explained, a little breathlessly, "Where's Bonnie and Elena?"

"Elena's with Damon. And I think Bonnie saw some TV star she likes," Katherine explained, shrugging, "Kol said he knew him and that he'd introduce them. But _more importantly_," she grasped Caroline's hands urgently and shimmied her hips a little, "how do I look? Because - and I mean it this time, Caroline - tonight's the night I am _finally_ going to have sex with Elijah Mikaelson."

"What? Katherine..." Caroline shook her head, "I mean, are you sure he's even your type?"

"Hm, let me think. Tall, handsome and with all the suaveness of James Bond," Katherine paused in mock thought, "Yeah, I think that's my type. Listen, I'm gonna go find him. I'll see you later, OK?"

Katherine spared her friend a final wave farewell before she disappeared off into the mass of people on the dance floor. Caroline watched her go, finding one of the plush crimson seats that lined the club walls to sit down on. Her pale slender fingers rifled through the contents of her beaded purse before, finally, she found her cell phone. It was just as she was sending off text messages to both Bonnie and Elena, demanding their whereabouts, that she felt someone collapse heavily on the seat beside her.

"Hey, baby," a drunken voice slurred in her ear, husky with desire, "What's your name?"

Caroline turned her head to gaze into the bloodshot eyes of an unknown, thirty-something man, who looked as though he should have been cut off about five drinks ago. Her upper lip curled back into a look of disgust, "Ugh, not interested, sorry. Besides, I'm taken," she said sharply, holding up her left hand where her engagement ring caught the strobe lights of the club.

"He here right now?" the man demanded, deliberately pressing himself up close against her.

"No," Caroline replied, attempting to shift away - but the man was persistent.

"Then what's the problem?" he asked, his stale breath enveloping Caroline's features and she found herself resisting the _very real_ urge to gag, "I'm only after a bit of fun."

"No, thanks," Caroline shook her head, adamant. Her eyes wide, she searched the mass of bodies, pressed together on the dance floor, seeking out Bonnie, Rebekah, _anyone_.

"Come on, baby," the man breathed, slapping a hand down on her thigh, "You'll like it, I promise."

He puckered his lips, moving in for a kiss, and Caroline tried frantically to remember all those self-defence classes she and Elena took last year. Heel of the hand to the nose - it was now or never. Her heart thundering loudly in her ears, she bent her elbow, drawing back her arm and preparing to strike. But, before she could, the man was lifted up off her, a choked gurgling sound falling his lips.

"Klaus," she breathed, relief colouring her tone.

"What do you think you're doing, _mate_?" Klaus all but snarled, his hands clutching fistfuls of the man's shirt.

"Aw, Jesus, shit," the man babbled, a thick sheen of sweat gathering on his brow, "Are you- Are you her boyfriend? 'Cause she said- _she said_ that he wasn't here tonight, man. I'm sorry, I didn't know. P-Please, man, please just let me go. It won't happen again, I promise."

Klaus' eyes darted to Caroline as he examined her face and the exposed skin of her arms, searching for any sign of a mark - any cuts or bruises. When he spoke next, his voice was dangerously, scarily, low, "Listen to me and listen carefully. I want you to walk away right now. I want you to turn around and go home because if you try _anything_ like that again, to _anyone_ here tonight, I will make you wish that you had never been born. You got that?" he released the man's shirt, his chin tilted up a fraction as he watched the man nod jerkily, "Alright. Off you pop, then."

The man nodded again, just as jerkily as before, his eyes wide and frightened as he scrambled off into the heaving mass of bodies and out of sight. Caroline watched him go, exhaling the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She glanced up, her gaze falling on Klaus who was looking at her with ill-disguised concern, the strobe lights of the club casting odd shadows across his chiselled features.

"I'm not your girlfriend," was all she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Klaus looked at her, confused, "What?!"

"Before..." she murmured, nodding pointedly, "He asked if you were my boyfriend and you didn't deny it."

"Apologies, love," he remarked, coolly, huffing out a sigh, "but I was a little too busy saving you to quibble over labels."

"I know," she paused briefly, wetting her lips, "Thank you."

"Why are you over here by yourself anyway?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

Caroline glared at him, then, "_Yeah_, like you don't know."

"Well, that is why I _asked_, love," he remarked, flashing her a hint of a smirk.

She spared him a bitter eye roll, "Fine, because of your oh so _brilliant_ idea of putting the bachelor and the bachelorette parties together - _not!_ - I have been... abandoned," she exclaimed, throwing her arms out to her sides in a dramatic gesture she hoped properly conveyed her indignation, "I mean, this was _supposed_ to be a girls' night, but noooooo, _you_ couldn't have that. So now Rebekah's off with Stefan and Elena's off with Damon and Katherine's trying to find Elijah, while - meanwhile - I am sat here - alone. So, yeah, _thank you_, Klaus, thank you for _ruining_ the bachelorette party I have spent _months_ planning."

Beside her, Klaus exhaled a heavy sigh and she cast him a sideways glance, "_What_?" she demanded, her tone sharp.

"Well, I was just about to say that _you_ might think I ruined your little party, love," he replied, his voice so quiet that she had to strain to hear him over the club's pulsing music, "But I think my little sister and best friend might be inclined to disagree with you there."

"Wha-?" she began to ask again, her brow furrowed in confusion, until he nodded out onto the dance floor.

Caroline followed his gaze, watching as Stefan and Rebekah danced together. Her best friend looked deliriously happy - in the way only Stefan could bring out in her - as he grabbed her hand and aided her in an awkward twirl, before pulling her close to him again. He was grinning and Rebekah was laughing as she rested her forehead against Stefan's, her lips moving as she whispered something only he could hear.

Caroline slumped back against her chair, her arms folded across her chest - she knew Klaus was right.

Noting her stance, he tipped her a grin, "What's that face for, sweetheart?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "Afraid you'll have to admit I was right?"

She shot him a look, "The day I admit you were right is the day Hell freezes over," she retorted, sweetly, before going on to remark, "They do look happy, though."

Klaus gave a little hum of agreement, "It's hard to believe they'll be getting married in two weeks," he said, glancing over at her, "They started dating a year after we did, didn't they?"

Caroline tensed, "Oh, my God, _seriously_?!" she exploded, getting to her feet and whipping around to face him, "No, you know what? I _should have known_ that you were just going to throw that back in my face tonight. OK, Klaus, _yes_, Rebekah and Stefan started dating after we did and, _yes_, they are now getting married, but maybe that's because _Stefan_ didn't decide to pop the question when _Rebekah_ was only twenty-two, and hadn't even finished _college _yet_._ And then maybe - just _maybe_ - Stefan didn't throw an all-out _temper tantrum_ when Rebekah said no," she shrugged, the action all too jerky, "It's just a thought."

Klaus gazed up at her for a long moment, the muscle in his jaw working as the silence stretched out between them. "Caroline, love," he said, at last, "You know I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. That was... too far," she replied, her voice quiet as she visibly deflated, "Look, you know what? This was a mistake. I- I think I'm just gonna head back to the hotel."

"Caroline," he stood up, catching her arm gently before she had the chance to walk away; she glanced back at him over her shoulder, "Stay, please."

"What?" she whispered.

"Stay," he repeated, "Just for one more drink, at least. Then maybe we can find Bonnie or Elena to head back to the hotel with you."

Caroline shook her head, her top teeth chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip, "I don't know."

"Come on, love," he flashed her a grin, "After all, what harm could one more drink possibly do?"

She rolled her eyes, her lips curving up into the beginnings of a smile, "OK, fine. But just _one_ more drink."

* * *

"...And, by the powers vested in me, by the state of Nevada," the priest with the Mohawk announced, lifting his hands in the air above them, "I now pronounce you - husband and wife."

* * *

_So, there you have it, folks - the first chapter. :)_

_I hope you enjoyed it and, as always, reviews are loved! c:_


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